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Fashion Week has always been a big event. The twice-yearly convention in New York, when fashion editors and buyers preview designer collections, is the largest and most important of its kind in the U.S.

In the past decade, title sponsors have changed—from General Motors to Olympus to Mercedes-Benz—designers have come and gone, and the famed tent has moved from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park. And the eight or so days every February and September have seen presentations, lounges and suites, and parties of all shapes and sizes. Although the recession hit the industry hard, prompting a wave of scaled-back runway shows, smaller guest lists, and an increased number of static, catwalk-free exhibitions outside the tents, Fashion Week still remains a time when some of the boldest events take place.